Momentum Deferred
by mchriste22
Summary: Third part in the Self Inflicted Wounds, Down a Crooked Path saga - It's been twenty five years since the events of DaCP and everything - and everybody - has changed. Spoilers S2 of TVD...and then it diverges. Greatly.
1. A New Day in the Old Town

_AN: Welcome back. What can I say? Pilar and I weren't ready to let go of our version of Mystic Falls, so we've dreamed up a third part to the saga. If you haven't read **Self Inflicted Wounds** and **Down a Crooked Path** I would recommend clicking on my user id and checking them out. You'll probably be a little lost without having read them. _

_As always, huge thanks to Pilar for being my beta - although she's really more than that, she's as much the author of these fics as I am. _

_So, without further nonsense from me...let's dive right in._

Momentum Deferred

Chapter One - A New Day in the Old Town

Studying her reflection, Bonnie Bennett leaned closer to the mirror, turning her head first left, then right, as she scrutinized the hairline above her unlined brow. The early morning sun shone through the small window in her front door, bathing the entryway in a warm, golden light. Glinting off of her rich, dark brown hair, the rays brought out the amber undertones of her natural color.

Well…natural was a relative term to a witch.

_You're so vain, _she mused with a rueful smile, humming a few bars of the old song and breaking the silence of her otherwise quiet house. The face staring back at her from the mirror looked like any other college student preparing to head off to class during her first month back from summer vacation.

Except that Bonnie hadn't been a student for more than two decades.

Twenty-two years ago, when she and Elena had both graduated from college, it had hit her that her best friend would never look a day over twenty. Looking around at the smiling faces of Caroline, Stefan, Damon, and even Katherine, Bonnie had realized that while they stayed eternally youthful, she'd not only feel her years, but she'd also begin to look them.

_No thank you_.

There were perks to being a witch and goddamn it, Bonnie Bennett had decided to use just _one _of them for purely selfish reasons. The spell to slow the aging process had been fairly easy to come by – no true witch in history wanted to live up to the wart-faced, decrepit hag of a stereotype – and now at forty-five years old, she was pleased to say that she didn't look a day over twenty-five. Younger, when she got enough sleep.

Shouldering her messenger bag, and grabbing a scarf, she checked her light jacket for her keys as she prepared to head out of the door. Ironically, she _was _on her way to class, but she was teaching, rather than taking lessons. The knob of her front door was twisting in her hand just as her cell phone rang.

"Dammit," she cursed under her breath, quickly weighing the pros and cons of letting it go to voicemail as the familiar refrain of Blondie's _One Way or Another _continued. She was already going to be late, and calls from Caroline Forbes had a tendency to always make her later. The tune came to an end, followed by a tone that signaled a voice message. Immediately, the refrain started again as Caroline called back.

Reaching into the top pouch of her bag, she retrieved the slim device with a sigh, coming to peace with the fact that she was going to be more than five minutes late.

Probably more than fifteen if Care was feeling particularly chatty. She missed her best friend terribly and loved getting phone calls from whatever far off locales she'd decided to visit on any given day, but…sometimes…

Caroline Forbes was just freaking exhausting.

"Caroline!" Bonnie said into the receiver, forcing a smile onto her lips that she hoped would mask her impatience.

"Bonnie! How are you?" Caroline's bright and eternally chipper voice sang through the earpiece, turning the witch's strained smile into a genuine grin.

"Horribly late for class," she admitted before quickly adding. "But good. How are you? _Where _are you?"

"Stateside," Caroline replied with a laugh. "And I'm good," she added, her voice trailing off slightly before she murmured. "All things considered."

_All things considered…_

Bonnie's smile left her face as she groaned internally.

How could she have forgotten?

"He's still not speaking to you?" she asked, trying to sound sympathetic when she really wanted to shake both of her friends until they came to their senses. Caroline and Tyler Lockwood had broken up for the millionth time nearly six months ago – although to hear Caroline tell it, the pain was as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.

"No," the blonde said as Bonnie headed back into her living room and dropped her bag onto the coffee table. Class would have to wait if her friend needed to talk. Despite her frustration with the situation, Bonnie had made a promise to herself ten years ago to always be there when Caroline needed her – a promise that she knew went both ways.

"You never told me why you two broke up," Bonnie said, adding a silent _this time _as she settled back against the cushions.

"I know."

Seconds passed.

"Wow, Care. Really? You're still not going to tell me?" Bonnie asked incredulously. How was she supposed to be there for her friend when she didn't even know what the problem was?

"I didn't call you to talk about men," Caroline replied, neatly dodging the interrogation. "I _called_ to invite you to a party."

Blinking in surprise and glad to be sitting down, a feeling of déjà vu swept over Bonnie. There had been a time when an invite to a party from Caroline Forbes had been a near-monthly occurrence. However – just like Stefan, Katherine, Damon and Elena – Caroline had eventually been forced to leave Mystic Falls and the event planning business she'd managed for ten years. Even in a town used to turning a blind eye to the strange and unusual, an eternally seventeen-year-old party planner had begun to draw attention.

"A party," Bonnie repeated, wracking her brain for any upcoming occasion that merited one. "What kind of a party?"

"A birthday party."

"For who?"

"Katherine."

Bonnie's phone hit the floor with a clatter.

"Hello? Bonnie?" Caroline's voice sounded tinny and far away as Bonnie clumsily recovered from her shock and fumbled for the phone

"You're inviting me to _Katherine_'s birthday party?" she exclaimed, her voice two octaves higher than normal. "Katherine _Pierce? _You've got to be kidding me."

Caroline sighed impatiently over the phone. "Yes, I am throwing Katherine a birthday party and I want you to be there."

Bonnie paused before stating flatly. "You can't be serious."

"I'm always serious about parties, Bon. You know this," Caroline retorted haughtily before her excitement clearly overcame her and the rest of her words gushed from her lips in a torrent. "It's going to be in Europe, in a castle in Bulgaria and it's going to be amazing. I've been there for the past few months planning and you will not believe this place, Bonnie, I'm telling you. It's a straight up medieval castle with a drawbridge and a dungeon and towers with those pointy roofs and a throne room. _It has a throne room._"

"Perfect for Queen Katherine," Bonnie muttered as Caroline continued to gush, unperturbed by her friend's less-than-enthusiastic response. It had been ten years since they'd all been together – Damon, Elena, Caroline, Tyler, Stefan, Katherine, Alaric , Jeremy and her – and things had changed in that time. Somehow, someway, Caroline and Katherine had bonded and become best friends in a strange, sire/siree way that Bonnie did her best not to think about.

It was just…too _weird_.

"And look, I'll even pay for your airfare if you don't have the money to spend right now," Caroline's bright chatter cut through Bonnie's thoughts, bringing her back to her living room and the present moment.

"You're not paying for my airfare," Bonnie replied, wondering what kind of present she'd get for a five hundred year old, spoiled and already wealthy vampire.

"Well, I'm not letting you use money as an excuse not to come."

"How about my job?"

"Everyone has vacation time."

"How about the fact that I don't like Katherine?"

"No one likes Katherine except me and Stefan, that's not the point," Caroline answered matter-of-factly.

"Caroline, I love you," Bonnie began. "But there's no way I'm going to fly to a Bulgarian castle to celebrate Katherine's anyth-."

"I'm inviting everyone."

The vague phrase stopped the witch mid-word, reaching into her chest and wrapping around her heart to squeeze. The old pain flared to life, morphing from a dull ache into a sharp stab of sorrow and regret. "Everyone?" she whispered, hardly recognizing her own voice.

"Yup," Caroline replied with forced cheer.

Damon and Elena. Bonnie hadn't seen either one of them in seven years. Not since… Blinking away the tears suddenly stinging her eyes, she asked. "How do you…how do you know where they are?"

"Damon was wasted when Stefan called him the other night and the dummy actually answered his phone," the blonde vampire explained. "It didn't take much to get him to slip up. I got on the first available flight to the States and now I'm on my way to Chicago."

"Chicago?" Bonnie repeated, her eyes widening in surprise and alarm.

"Returning to the scene of the crime, I guess," Caroline muttered. "I hear all crazed serial killers do it."

"Not funny," the witch murmured.

"I know," the vampire admitted by way of apology. A heavy silence fell over the line as Bonnie toyed with the idea of actually seeing her oldest friend again. With everything that had happened, the prospect was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Mostly terrifying.

"Do you really think…" Bonnie swallowed past the lump in her throat before continuing. "Do you really think that you can get everyone there?"

"I don't expect Tyler to show, but otherwise…" Caroline paused before adding a determined. "Yes."

A part of Bonnie wanted to ask her how she'd do it, how she'd make the impossible happen, but most of her just wanted to accept and believe in the blonde's unique brand of magic – the magic that had always made every event she'd planned since high school a fabulous success.

_Classes be damned, _she thought with a determined nod. "Then I'll be there."

"Excellent!" Caroline cried, turning back into the bubbly cheerleader she'd never really outgrown. "I'll get in touch with you about the details but my flight's boarding, so I've got to go. I love you!"

"Love you, too," Bonnie replied. "Good luck," she added before hanging up the phone. Fragile hope wrapped around her heart, digging its painful thorns into the tender muscle. Caroline needed to deliver. She wasn't sure that she'd survive the disappointment if she didn't.

"What kind of party is Caroline planning now?"

Nearly dropping her phone again, Bonnie looked toward the kitchen to find Jeremy standing in the doorway. "Oh my…you scared me!" she gasped, her shock quickly melting into the familiar warmth she always felt when Jeremy Gilbert appeared in a room.

"Sorry," he smirked, clearly not sorry at all as he crossed the living room to stand next to the couch. "Next time I'll be louder."

"You better," she replied with a grin, tossing a throw pillow at him.

"I said I will," he laughed, ducking out of the pillow's path with ease. "So, what's Caroline up to?"

Hesitating, Bonnie's smile faltered slightly as she took in Jeremy's still boyish features. She used spells and charms to stay looking young, but time had barely touched the boy she'd fallen in love with so long ago. A few fine lines around his eyes were the only flaws that marked the passing of years.

She really didn't want to add to them by bringing up painful subjects.

"I'll let you know if she pulls it off," Bonnie replied with a coy shrug as she rose to her feet. "I have to go or my students will invoke the five minute rule."

"I thought that was a myth?"

"It is, until they do it," she said as she wrapped her scarf around her neck and dug her sunglasses out of her purse. "See you tonight?"

Jeremy nodded. "Nowhere else I'd rather be."

"Ooo, smooth, Gilbert," she teased, letting herself out of the front door and into the Virginia sunshine. "So smooth."

His laughter followed her to her car, a simple and joyful counterpoint to the tumultuous emotions that Caroline's unexpected invitation had stirred up within her heart. She would always be grateful that she and Jeremy had been allowed a second chance to get it right, even if it had come out of something…well, awful.

Nothing's perfect.

Sliding behind the wheel of her car, she tossed her bag into the backseat before starting the ignition and buckling herself in. Reaching up, she adjusted the mirror and nearly choked on her second huge surprise of the morning as a startled cry erupted from her throat.

"Grams!"

"Bonnie," her grandmother announced grimly from the previously empty backseat. "We need to talk."

* * *

Exhausted and dangerously hungry, Caroline eyed the bellhop longingly as he opened the door for her and dragged her luggage into the suite. She'd planned on going hunting later, after she'd checked into her hotel, showered and tracked down Damon, but she could feel the pressure of her fangs against her gums, could already taste the warm blood flowing down her throat.

_If I wait, I might lose control, _she reasoned as the bellhop did a sweep of the room, making sure that there were enough towels and that the minibar was fully stocked. The smart thing to do would be to feed now before something happened that she couldn't take back.

_Sure, Forbes._

"Will there be anything else, miss?" the bellhop – Charles, his nametag stated – asked pleasantly.

"No, thank you," she replied, smiling sadly as he turned around and walked out of the door. There was no way she'd lose control. Her control was legendary – in another hundred years, it might even be as legendary as Stefan's Ripper hijinks.

Hating herself for not being more like every other vampire that she knew, Caroline flopped down on the king-sized bed and stared at the ceiling. Chicago. It had been seven years since she'd been in the Windy City and after what had happened, she'd hoped not to return for at least a century.

So much for that.

_Why are Damon and Elena _here? she wondered, closing her eyes as she relaxed into the plush mattress. Why not New York or Vegas or _anywhere _else? The Chicago skyline had taunted her from the plane as they'd made their descent, calling to mind images of mangled bodies and blood – so much blood. During the seemingly endless cab ride from the airport to the hotel, she'd been unable to tear her gaze away from the innocent humans going about their lives. They had reminded her of the ones who hadn't survived that night seven years ago, giving rise to the guilt and sense of failure that was never far from her mind. She'd been so sure of herself and the plan that night – embarrassingly arrogant and naïve – they all had been.

Well, everyone except Damon, of course.

The reality of her situation hit her suddenly, shaking her confidence in her plan. Damon – if she even found him – would think that she was crazy. A party for Katherine? He wouldn't want to go. Not in a million years. She'd be lucky if he'd even _talk _to her. She'd probably have better luck approaching Elena, but that…

Caroline shuddered.

That wasn't an option.

Drawing a deep breath, she pushed herself to a seated position and reached for her purse, retrieving her tablet. Flicking a few buttons, she brought it to life and placed a call. In a few seconds, Stefan's tired smile filled the screen.

"Made it okay, I see."

"I just checked in," she nodded, an involuntary smile tugging at her lips upon seeing her best friend's face. Midnight in Chicago meant it was eight o'clock in the morning in Bulgaria and judging by Stefan's sleepy countenance, he hadn't been awake for long. Katherine – unsurprisingly – was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you sure that you want to do this, Care?" he asked, sipping from a white mug that either contained blood or coffee – the thought of both made her mouth water again and she was momentarily distracted.

"Do what?" she countered, relaxing into the wonderfully comfortable pillows.

"Track down Damon," Stefan clarified, setting the mug down on the glass topped patio table that she could picture clearly in her head. Life at the villa in Katherine's home country had been beautiful and idyllic and Caroline had hated to leave, but parties didn't plan themselves and she was determined to make Katherine's five hundred and nineteenth birthday unforgettable.

And if it happened to bring everyone back together – including Tyler, Damon and Elena – and fixed them, made them like they'd been ten years ago before _it _had happened, then she was more than willing to track Damon down.

"Yes," she replied crisply, her mouth set in a determined line as she nodded for emphasis. "He's part of our family and he needs to be there."

"I've told you a million times, Caroline," Katherine's voice carried through the electronic device from the other side of the world before her face actually appeared. Clad in a short, black silk robe with her hair piled high on her head, she sat gracefully on Stefan's lap and crossed her bare legs. "I don't need Damon and Elena at this party."

_Well, I do, _Caroline thought to herself, trying to ignore the knot of anxiety in her gut. She'd been grappling with the sensation for ten years, but in the last six months, ever since the night she and Tyler had had their final screaming match – and for the first time in over twenty years of breaking up and getting back together, _he'd _been the one to walk out – it had been worse than ever.

She and Tyler hadn't spoken since the night he'd walked out, leading her to believe – and fear – that this time it was for real. This time it was really over. Her stomach rolled with nausea. She didn't know what to do with herself without Tyler. Together or not, they'd always been in some form of a relationship and to lose it so suddenly at the age of forty-five…

The knot of anxiety in her stomach turned into a boulder.

_Oh my god, I'm having a midlife crisis, _she realized with irritation. Pushing the thoughts aside, she forced her trademark bright smile to her face and focused her attention on the screen of her tablet. "You can joke all you want, Kat, but I know you love Damon, too," she insisted, telling herself that the sight of Katherine and Stefan cuddling like a couple of high schoolers in love didn't make her want to jab her eyes out and binge on cheesy romantic comedies. "Elena's part of the deal and besides, more people attending means more presents for you."

Making a face, Katherine groaned and closed her eyes, resting her forehead against Stefan's crown. Smirking, he rubbed a comforting hand up her bare thigh and raised a brow at Caroline. "If you're sure you know what you're getting into."

"Hey, I am not a baby vampire anymore," she snapped, rolling her eyes at her friends. "And I've dealt with cranky Damon before, okay? Stop acting like I'm about to face a den of psychotic hunters or werewolves or something."

Stefan's features sobered as he dropped his gaze. "You haven't seen him like this, Care. Trust me." Looking at her again, he tightened his grip on Katherine. "This is…different."

"It's his own fault," Katherine muttered, her words muffled by Stefan's shoulder as she curled up like a cat on his lap. "Everyone knew it would happen. It _always_ happens. It comes with being a vamp-."

"Stop," Caroline whispered, closing her eyes and her mind against the onslaught of ten-year-old memories. Swallowing, she forced the horrific images away and took a breath before opening her eyes. Stefan's concerned gaze stared back at her. "It doesn't matter what happened in the past, what matters is now and now it is time to celebrate your birthday, Katherine." Sitting up straighter, she pushed her long blond hair off of her face and lifted her chin. "So, where exactly did Damon say that he was?"

Closing the tablet with a decisive _click, _Caroline determinedly grabbed her purse. She was going to get her family back – no matter what it took.

* * *

Staring at the plain glass of bourbon, Damon idly wondered if anyone really understood how much work it took to be drunk twenty-four hours a day. Not falling down stupid drunk – that was easy, just swallow as much of the stuff as fast and often as possible – but fuzzy drunk, _numb _drunk. The kind of drunk where the drinker could still function, but all of those pesky emotions and feelings that drove them to the bottle in the first place were just out of reach.

It took effort. It took knowing one's limits.

And for a vampire, it took a hell of a lot of alcohol.

_Here's to the poor man's humanity switch, _Damon thought, tipping back the glass and swallowing the amber elixir in a single gulp. He barely felt the burn as he gestured at the bartender for another. He missed the burn, missed the warmth as it slid down his throat and into his stomach, but as long as it did its job, he wouldn't complain.

Numb.

Empty.

Nothing.

_Bullshit._

Sobering instantly, Damon growled low in his throat and dropped his head as what little buzz he'd had going vanished. That was the trouble with being a vampire – or at least the trouble with being _him_ – all it took was one reminder of what his life was really like – just a tiny bit of truth – and all of his hard work went right down the fucking drain.

Grabbing the bartender by the wrist as he set his new drink down in front of him, Damon caught his eye and pushed some compulsion at him. "Bring me the damn bottle," he ordered before releasing the man and gulping down his bourbon.

The bar was a hole in the wall on a side street in downtown Chicago. Booths lined one wall from the door in front to the kitchen in the very back, the padded seats torn and scuffed in the dim glow of the bare low-wattage bulbs. The bar itself ran along the other side until half way back where it gave way to some rickety high tops and a lone pool table. The floor was permanently sticky from years of spilled drinks, the high shelf liquor was abysmal and Damon was pretty sure he'd seen a rat shit in the sink behind the bar. The place was disgusting and none of that mattered.

Damon didn't care.

He wasn't there for the company or the atmosphere.

He was there for Elena.

Always Elena.

It always came back to her

The bartender returned with the bottle of bourbon, setting it down in front of Damon with a blank expression before returning to his work. Turning his attention to the dusty, smudged front window, the vampire looked across the street to a neon sign glowing above a black awning. A line of people waited behind a velvet rope in the chilly night outside of the door as a bouncer the size of a mac truck stood guard at the door.

Elena was there.

Hours ago, she'd walked past the long line, straight up to the bouncer and within seconds had been ushered inside. Damon had watched from his seat in the bar, a hint of a smile touching his lips. He doubted that she'd used even a hint of compulsion – not in that short, black dress that showed off her long, bare legs to perfection.

He pictured her in there now, having the time of her life. The heat from all of those moving bodies would make her make-up smudge a bit and her long, dark hair frizz, but she'd still be the most beautiful woman in the room, drawing lustful stares from men _and _women. They'd all flock to her, like moths to the flame, not only because of her vampiric nature but also because Elena Gilbert had that effect on everyone she met. They'd do anything to dance with her, to be around her, while she sampled their blood in small, hedonistic sips.

_Fuck, I really want to be drunk. _

Closing his eyes, he shoved those thoughts aside and took a swig from the bottle of bourbon. The liquor raced down his throat, settling at the pit of his stomach like boulders as he slammed the bottle back down on the scarred surface of the bar almost hard enough to break the glass. Opening his eyes, he looked toward the window again and nearly fell off of his stool.

Standing just inside the door, in all of her blonde, perpetual prom queen glory, was Caroline Forbes.

_What the hell?_

"Hi, Damon," she said with a smile he recognized from another lifetime. He stared, thoughts of Elena momentarily sidelined as he tried to wrap his fuzzy brain around the fact that Caroline was really there, standing in front of him. She wore an expectant expression, as if they'd made plans to meet and he was an idiot for having forgotten.

_How did she even find…?_

Scowling, he shook his head. "Goddammit, Stefan."

Having succeeded in drinking himself into oblivion two nights ago, Damon had nearly convinced himself that his most recent conversation with his younger brother had been an alcohol induced nightmare – but the blonde now standing before him proved otherwise. He couldn't remember a word of what he and his brother had discussed, but he'd obviously let something slip.

_Yet another fresh hell I've created for myself._

"Nice to see you, too," Caroline sighed, making a face as she strode toward the bar and claimed the seat next to him. Taking another slug of bourbon, Damon stared at the surface of the bar, running his fingertips over the scratches and gouges left by decades of patrons. It had been six years – no, _seven _years – since he'd seen Caroline. Since he'd seen any of them.

He couldn't decide if he'd missed them.

Flashing her sunny grin, the blonde flagged down the bartender and ordered a Cosmo without the barest hint of irony. The forty-something behind the counter mixed the drink without complaint, even digging out a martini glass – much to Damon's surprise – before placing it on a napkin in front of her. Primly, she picked it up and took a sip, her gaze wandering over the assorted patrons with seeming innocence, but he knew what she was doing – the same thing all vampires did when they found themselves surrounded by a crowd of unsuspecting humans.

Perusing the menu.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Caroline asked after nearly ten minutes of silence – nine more than Damon had expected to get. Silently, he took another drink as she continued. "I traveled all day, on five different planes, I might add. Vampire or not, do you have any idea what that much recycled air does to your skin? My face feels like the Sahara."

Closing his eyes, Damon rubbed the back of his neck and turned his attention to the window and the club across the street, mentally cursing his new drinking companion. He didn't have time for this, didn't have the energy to deal with Caroline-fucking-Forbes.

"I haven't even eaten since…yesterday morning," she continued unperturbed, narrowing her eyes as she calculated the time difference. "I'm starving. I'm so hungry I could eat this entire bar."

She said it with a laugh and a wink at the bartender, but Damon knew that it was a warning.

"How is that my problem?" he asked. "I didn't invite you here."

"The least you could do is say hi to an old friend," she chided.

Tearing his gaze away from the window, he glared at her. "Hi," he said through clenched teeth. "Now why don't you leave so I can get back to-."

"Back to what, Damon?" Caroline asked, raising a brow. "Drinking and brooding?"

"Back to my life," he snapped. "A life that hasn't included _you _for seven years. Ever since you rode out of Chicago on that judgy high horse of yours."

The blonde bristled but otherwise refused to rise to the bait. "Nice life, Salvatore. Next you're going to tell me that all of these bar flies are your besties."

"Maybe," he shrugged.

"Ugh, you are so…" Closing her eyes, she took a breath to steady herself. "Don't you want to know why I'm here?"

"Not especially."

"Damon!"

He took another sip of his bourbon, studiously avoiding her gaze.

Silence reigned before Caroline let out a huff of exasperation, grabbed the bottle out of his hand, and threw it to the floor. The wood was worn enough that it didn't break, merely bounced once—twice-before rolling across the floor and coming to a stop against the far wall, its contents spilling to the ground.

Furious, Damon lifted his gaze to meet the unblinking stare of an equally furious Caroline.

Defiantly, he signaled the bartender for another.

"Don't you dare!" Caroline hissed as the bartender brought over another bottle.

Lifting the bottle to his lips, he went to take a healthy swallow, only to have the opening pushed down, spilling the liquor into his lap before he was able to right it.

"Goddammit, _fine_," he growled, slamming the bottle of bourbon down on the surface of the bar as he turned on the stool to face her. "Let me guess. My brother sent you here to check up on me after I answered my phone the other night and like a goddamn asshole told him one too many specific details, leading him to figure out where I was." The words tasted bitter in his mouth, full of self-loathing. He'd been ignoring Stefan's phone calls for years, keeping the brotherly relationship going with vaguely worded texts so that there'd be no search parties or rescue missions.

Damon didn't need either. He was fine. He and Elena were _fine. _This was just a phase, something that every vampire had to go through at some point or another and when it was all over, they'd go back to the way that things had been.

They'd be perfect again.

Two nights ago, however, he'd been…weak. Drunk and missing her more than ever, noting her absence in a way that he hadn't since before they'd gotten together. He'd answered his phone without thinking, without even looking at the caller ID, harboring the vain, ridiculous hope that it would be Elena's voice on the other end.

Instead, it had been fucking Stefan.

Ironically, his brother's voice had been welcome that night, a respite from the loneliness and the memories. Their conversation, the actual words, weren't even a hazy memory now, but clearly he'd revealed far too much in his pathetic state. Not only had he given his brother cause for concern, he'd felt the need to send out a search party.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

"Tell Stefan that I'm fine," he said. "He can call off the intervention."

"Stefan didn't send me."

Damon scoffed. "What do you mean he didn't send you?"

"This isn't an intervention, Damon," Caroline said, trying and failing to not look smug over the fact that she'd surprised him. "This isn't even about you, really. It's about Katherine."

"_Katherine?_"

"I'm throwing her a party," she continued, unzipping her purse and digging through the contents for a moment. "A huge, extravagant, amazing party for her five-hundred and nineteenth birthday. It's going to be in a castle in Bulgaria near where she grew up. An _actual _castle with a dungeon and towers. It doesn't have a moat or a drawbridge though, but that's okay. It's still awesome. Here."

She held out an envelope made of thick, expensive paper. Glancing down, Damon saw his and Elena's names elegantly scrawled across the surface in black ink.

"An invitation," he said, eyeing the object as if it might come to life and attack him. "Seriously?"

"Well, what did you expect," she snipped. "A text message? Damon, when I throw a party, I throw it right."

With effort, he kept his jaw from hitting the bar as he stared at her. Caroline's priorities had always been skewed, but this brought crazy to an entirely new level. She'd tracked him down in Chicago to personally invite him and Elena to a birthday party for fucking Katherine – the vampire who'd made most of his long life a living hell and had only recently become a true ally. Seven years ago, Caroline had witnessed the reality of his and Elena's life firsthand and still…

She wanted to throw a party.

"Unbelievable," he muttered, ignoring the invite as he gulped his liquor.

"What is that, a no?"

"I figure 'no' pretty much went without saying," he retorted, glancing across the street at the line of people still clamoring to get into the club. He was certain that Elena was still inside, but if Caroline and her stupid party invitation had made him miss her, he'd be pissed.

Well, _more _pissed.

"Look, Damon-."

"Caroline, I'm not gonna 'look' at anything," he snapped, reaching the end of his patience. "There's no way in hell I'm going to a goddamn birthday party for Katherine of all people and I can guarantee that Elena won't be caught dead there, so why don't you get on another plane and head back to my brother? You can tell him that you tried and we can go another seven years without seeing each other."

"No."

"Excuse me?" he replied incredulously, a spark of rage igniting in his chest. He hadn't felt an emotion this powerful in years, but the sheer audacity of Caroline's appearance, of her goddamn invite, made his eyes burn and his fangs prick against his gums.

"No," Caroline replied, her mouth set in the firm, uncompromising line that Damon recognized from many a town function. Leaning forward, she dropped the pretense of pleasantries. "It's been ten years. Ten years since…since everything went to hell and our _family _broke and I'm sick of it. I miss my friends, Damon, and that includes you, even if you are a fucking asshole most of the time."

She shoved the invitation across the bar until it was directly in front of him. "I understand that you're trying to be all Zen about this and let Elena figure it out on her own because 'it's something that every vampire goes through,'" she continued, throwing mocking air quotes around the mantra he'd apparently repeated one too many times. "That's very perfect boyfriend-y of you, but you know what? I haven't gone through it and I have no intention of flipping my humanity switch and leaving my friends behind because life decided to shit all over me."

Damon tensed, wanting to jump to Elena's defense, or rip Caroline's head off, but the blonde didn't give him a chance to do either. "It's time to bring her back, Damon. Time to make her remember the people who love her and need her and just really, _really_ miss her."

He swallowed, glancing down at the cream colored envelope. "And you think that a birthday party for Katherine is going to make Elena flip her switch?"

"I don't know," Caroline shrugged, sliding off of the stool as she shouldered her purse. "But I'm inviting everyone and you know I'll get them there. Seeing her family may make her remember what she's missing."

Turning away from him, she headed for the door, getting halfway there before whirling around and facing him one last time. "You were right," she said, meeting his eye with obvious effort. "Seven years ago, you were right and we were wrong. We should have listened to you," she admitted, hitching her purse higher on her shoulder. "But that was then. Your way hasn't changed anything, so maybe it's time to try something else. "

"Clever, Forbes," Damon scoffed, turning his attention back to his bottle of bourbon and taking a drink. He tried not to give into the old anger that threated to consume him at the blonde's admission that they'd all fucked up seven years ago by not listening to him. If there was one thing he'd learned in his almost two hundred years it was that dwelling on the past was pointless. "Appealing to my vanity, but what makes you think that I know where Elena is?"

"Please," Caroline rolled her eyes as a satisfied smile curved her lips. "The party's a week from Friday."

Turning around, she left without a goodbye, leaving Damon alone in the bar with a half empty bottle of bourbon, damp pants, a fancy party invitation and a feeling of indignation in his gut that he hadn't felt in years. Goddamn Caroline Forbes. She knew him too well, knew that the prospect of helping Elena, no matter how remote, would get him to do anything.

Picking up the invitation, he eyed it skeptically.

A birthday party. For Katherine.

Shaking his head, he tucked the envelope into the inner pocket of his jacket, chugged down some more bourbon and slipped off of the bar stool. There was no fucking way that Elena would accept Caroline's invitation.

_But, _Damon thought with a grim smile as he headed across the street to the club. _It might just get him in the door._

* * *

_So...what do you think? _


	2. The Day We Died

_AN: Thank you so much for your responses to the first chapter! I wondered what familiar faces I'd see in the replies - whether I'd see any, really - and it's so nice to see a lot of the people who read and reviewed the other two stories. _

_To the new people, welcome and I hope that you enjoy. _

_Lots of questions in the responses to the first chapter. I'll start to answer them in this one, but be patient. Good things - and answers - come to those who wait. ;)_

_Thank you, Pilar, for your mad beta-ing skills - and wardrobe suggestions. No thank you, Pilar, for falling asleep three nights this week in the middle of beta-ing. *snicker*_

_Without further ado - enjoy!_

Chapter Two - The Day We Died

_Ten years ago…_

Utilizing the utmost stealth, Elena crept into her bedroom, mindful of the old hardwood floor's tendency to creak just across the threshold. Taking advantage of her vampiric agility, and keeping her gaze focused on the king-sized bed against the opposite wall, she leapt 6 feet into the room, landing silently on the balls of her feet. Taking a quick glance at the ceramic mug she carried, she grinned as her gaze returned to her prey.

Damon hadn't moved.

Lying on his stomach with the sheets pooled at his waist and his face buried in the pillow, he slept on while the early morning sun played across his bare, vulnerable back.

Elena wasn't buying it.

In the past two decades, she'd played this game with Damon often enough to know just how good he was at playing possum. As a human, she'd tried endlessly to take him by surprise and had always failed. As a vampire, she hadn't fared much better.

Her repeated failures never stopped her from trying, however.

Lowering her heels to the ground, Elena let out a silent breath and blurred to Damon's side of the bed. For several long moments, she watched him, barely breathing, her eyes searching for the smallest hint that he'd woken up and was just biding his time, waiting for his moment to thwart her attempts yet again.

Nothing.

Elena grinned, the first stirrings of triumph causing her heart to beat slightly faster. Setting the mug of warm blood on the nightstand without a sound, she bent her knees slightly, preparing to jump unto the mattress and attack her sleeping boyfriend.

The thought hadn't even fully formed in her mind when the room suddenly shifted and in an instant, she was on her back, staring at the ceiling and pinned to the mattress by Damon's full weight. Wrapping an arm securely around her waist, he pulled her halfway under his body, hiding his face in the crook of her neck the same way he'd had it buried in the pillow less than two seconds previously. Despite her shock, her arms came around him automatically, noting with disgust that his breathing hadn't sped up in the slightest.

Thwarted again.

"Dammit, Damon," she cried, digging her nails into his side. "You ruined my surprise." He mumbled a response, his breath tickling her skin and bringing a smile to her lips even though the words were unintelligible. "What?"

He shifted slightly so that she could understand him. "Shhhh," he said, pressing a kiss to her collarbone. "I'm sleeping."

"It's eleven o'clock," she replied, rolling her eyes as she tried to slip out from underneath him. The more she struggled, however, the tighter he held onto her, nuzzling her neck with his nose and lips and completely ruining her resolve. Running her fingers through his hair and cradling the back of his head with her hand, she urged him on even as she protested. "Damon, we're going to be late."

Groaning, he rolled onto his back, taking her with him so that she was sprawled on top of him. Her legs fell to either side of his hips while her hair spilled down around them, forming a protective barrier between them and the rest of the world. Opening his eyes, he blinked at her sleepily.

"If you hadn't kept me up most of the night," he began, cupping her cheek and dragging his thumb over her lips. "I wouldn't be so tired."

"You loved it," she teased, catching his thumb between her teeth and biting it playfully.

Damon smirked, pulling her down for a kiss. "Want to go for round two?" he asked, his lips brushing against hers with each word.

"More like round _twenty-_two," she replied, her eyelids fluttering in time to the butterflies in her stomach. It had to be some kind of crime, the way he could turn her on so quickly and easily. "The idea does sound tempting-"

Losing herself for a moment in his kiss, Elena forgot about the world outside of their bedroom. She forgot about Stefan and Katherine's flight from South American that would be arriving in an hour and a half and about the plane that she had to catch later in the evening that would take her home to Mystic Falls. Damon even managed to make her forget about Jeremy and his gallery opening in their hometown and the fact that Alaric, Caroline, Tyler and Bonnie would all be there – along with Stefan and Katherine – to celebrate her little brother's success.

Kissing the man that she loved, Elena forgot it all as the details blended into a single, overwhelming sensation of joy.

There'd been a time when she'd thought that she'd never be truly happy, and while her existence wasn't what most people would call normal, it was so much more than she'd dreamed possible the summer before her sophomore year in high school.

"You're right," Damon said, breaking the kiss momentarily as his hand slid down to her waist. "How about we try to break our record?"

His lips found the sweet spot on her throat, right where her neck met her shoulder, making her sigh in bliss as she turned her head to the side. Lazily, she opened her eyes, her gaze landing on the clock on the bed side table.

All of the hazy details snapped back into focus.

_Stefan and Katherine. Jeremy. Flights. Gallery opening. Home._

"No," she declared, groaning as she put her hands on his bare chest and pushed herself away from him. "You're just trying to stall."

"No, I'm trying to seduce my girlfriend," he countered, his fingers slipping beneath the fabric of her shirt and doing amazing things to her bare skin.

"Stefan and Katherine are expecting you to pick them up," she reminded him, sitting back on his thighs and doing nothing to stop his advances.

"They know where we live," he shrugged, inching her shirt up and exposing her skin to the air.

"That is not the point."

"I disagree, your Honor. That is the very definition of the point."

"Damon," she sighed, fighting against the incredibly strong desire to just give in and roll around in bed with him for the rest of the day. Taking his hands in her own, she laced her fingers though his and pushed him away, trapping his hands against the pillow by his head. "We haven't seen them for almost a year, so why don't we try _not _to piss Katherine off before we're even in the same zip code."

Damon held her gaze for a moment, the intent in his crystal blue eyes unreadable. She'd known the Salvatores for twenty years and no matter how close the brothers had become, Damon always acted like seeing Stefan was the biggest pain in his ass.

Or perhaps it was seeing Katherine.

Regardless, Elena didn't doubt for a second that Damon would follow through on his word and pick them up at the airport – he just needed a little motivation to make sure he made it there in an hour and a half instead of three.

Good thing she'd picked up a few tricks over the years.

"I'm going to take a shower," she announced suddenly, blurring off of him and away from the bed in an instant. Putting an extra sway in her hips, she headed for the bathroom, stripping her cami over her head and letting it fall to the floor. Glancing over her shoulder, she raised a brow. "Care to join me?"

She'd barely crossed the threshold into the bathroom when she was swept off of her feet and carried with breathtaking speed into the large, glass enclosed shower. She sucked in a breath as her bare breasts came into contact with the tiles of the wall, her nipples pebbling with a combination of the cold and the anticipation of what was to come.

"Not fair, Gilbert," Damon murmured, his hands sliding slowly down her bare stomach and dipping below the waistband of her yoga pants.

"It's not my fault you're so easy," she taunted, reaching for the cold water knob and turning it on full blast in a sudden, fluid movement. The blast of icy water was worth it to see the expression of shock on Damon's face as he leapt backwards out of the spray.

Elena's triumphant grin turned into a squeal of half-hearted protest as he lunged for her, catching her around the waist and holding her under the cold water. The icy chill took her breath away only to be replaced a moment later by Damon's mouth as he captured her lips under the downpour. She could have fought him off or broken out of his hold – it wasn't that tight – and continued the game, but the playful mood shifted when he altered the angle of his lips.

Forgetting about the freezing water, Elena sighed into Damon's mouth as her arms snaked around his neck. As always, he tasted like heaven – in nearly twenty years, she'd never tired of it, never stopped craving it like she craved the man himself. This time, when his finger curled around the waistband of her soaking wet yoga pants, she didn't stop him.

"I thought you said we were going to be late," he whispered against her lips as she went to work on his loose fitting silk pants.

"I also said that we could share a shower," she pointed out. "Can't do that with all of these clothes on."

"Good point," he grinned, crouching down in front of her and peeling the wet material down her legs and tossing them into the corner. She kneaded his shoulders as he kissed his way back up her body, finding all of the right spots along the way to drive her crazy with need.

"You know, I was thinking," she said breathlessly, reaching behind her back to turn on the hot water as Damon pressed his lips to the hollow at the base of her throat. "You were right."

"What am I right about this time?" he murmured, his voice whispering across her skin as he took a nipple into his mouth.

Utilizing her vampiric strength, she pulled him to her roughly so that his entire body was pressed against her, every glorious inch. Running her fingers through his wet hair, she grinned. "Katherine and Stefan _do _know where we live."

* * *

Removing the lavender scented sleep mask from her eyes, Katherine Pierce woke as the plane touched down on the runway. Blinking in the light of the first class cabin, she automatically sought out Stefan, noting with an affectionate smile, that he was still asleep beside her.

_Carnaval _always made him so tired.

Her smile grew devilish as she lifted the armrest into its upright position. "We're here," she murmured throatily, biting his earlobe just to see him squirm. Waking with a start, Stefan did an admirable job of keeping the shock of his rude awakening under wraps as he sat up straighter in his seat. Chuckling, Katherine stretched her arms above her head and raised a brow. "Did you have a nice nap, Sleepy?"

"Sleepy? I'm pretty sure the drool spot on my shoulder belongs to you," he replied, tapping a barely discernible dark spot on his left shoulder.

"I do not drool," she retorted with mild horror. Eyeing the spot, however, she shrugged. "But if I did, it would only be in revenge for your snoring."

Cocking his head, Stefan narrowed his eyes. "I don't snore."

"I'm sure that the entire plane would beg to differ."

"Should we take a poll?"

"Sure, why don't you start with the flight attendant that tried to wake you up?" Katherine suggested, calling his bluff as she reached for the call button in the panel above her head. Stefan caught her hand, plucking it out of the air and bringing it to his lips for a kiss before tugging her toward him to claim her lips as well. She'd always thought that the idea of melting into a kiss or an embrace was so much hyperbole, but Stefan, damn him, sure knew how to turn her into a puddle of goo with his sudden romantic gestures.

"Mmm," she murmured, keeping her eyes shut tight when the connection broke and he pulled away far too soon. "Let's compel the captain to give us a private flight back to Brazil."

"Katherine-."

"The villa is paid out for the next month," she reminded him, her lips brushing against his jaw as she lingered close enough to taste him. "Let's get our money's worth."

"We didn't pay for it," he argued with a chuckle.

"Our _time_ then," she said, caressing his calf with her foot as she scooted closer and the other first class passengers began moving around the cabin and gathering their things.

"Our time?"

"Yes," Katherine said as he lifted her into his lap. Curling up like a contented cat, she laid her head against his shoulder and pressed her lips to his throat. "The time it took for us to find the owners and compel them to leave for six months."

"I wonder where they've been all of this time?" he mused, sinking his fingers into her hair and massaging her scalp at the base of her skull.

_There he goes, _she thought, biting back a groan of pure ecstasy. _Making me _melt_ again._

"Who cares," she muttered, soaking up the attention while she had the chance. She was used to having him to herself, of not having to share his affection with anyone…and now…now they were back in the States. Mere minutes were all that stood between her and Stefan and the first, not-so-welcome blast from their past. Damon was supposed to meet them at the baggage claim and knowing Katherine's luck – and the other couple's co-dependency – Elena would be there as well, glued to the elder Salvatore brother's side like a barnacle on a boat. They'd be spending two whole days in New York with them before – oh joy of joys – leaving for…

Mystic-fucking-Falls.

"Stefan-."

"We're going," he stated firmly, his fingers locking on the back of her neck in a firm but gentle grip. "We're meeting Damon and Elena, we're spending quality time with them in New York and we're going to Mystic Falls for Jeremy's gallery opening. You agreed to this, Katherine."

"I know, but-."

"I told you I would come alone."

Jerking upright, she looked at him through narrowed eyes. Logically, the idea was sound. Stefan could have spent time with his brother and the Scooby gang and she could have soaked up more of the Brazilian sun. She wouldn't have had to spend time with anyone from a part of her past she'd just as soon _not _revisit, and her boyfriend could have had the bonding time he apparently needed. It would have been perfect.

Except for one thing.

"Right," she snipped, climbing out of his lap and gathering her things. "So you could spend countless hours alone with Elena? I don't think so."

She'd never really gotten a handle on her jealousy.

"That's probably smart," Stefan said gravely, nodding his head as he watched her. "I mean, I know the only thing keeping Elena and me from riding off into eternity together are…chaperones."

"Go fuck yourself," Katherine said sweetly as she glared daggers at him. The "fight" was the same one that they had every few years when either Stefan or Damon – usually Stefan – decided he needed to reconnect with his brother. Katherine knew that Stefan had no interest in Elena and Stefan knew that she wasn't _really _jealous, he just liked to tease her.

Because she _was_ kind of jealous.

_Not jealous, _she amended as the weight of Stefan's unwavering gaze soothed her ruffled feathers. _Protective. _She didn't want to lose the only good thing to have happened to her in the past five hundred and nine years.

"It doesn't matter at all that she's completely in love with my brother," he continued, reaching toward her and brushing her hair over her shoulder so that he could rest his palm against her cheek. "Or that I plan on spending my immortality with the strongest, most intelligent, most beautiful woman I've ever met."

_Goddamn him and the romantic gestures, _she thought, trying and failing to scowl as her lips curved upwards. "I hate you," she whispered, leaning into his touch.

Stefan smiled. "I know."

* * *

The first butterflies took flight in Bonnie's stomach as she drove by the sign announcing one hundred miles to Mystic Falls. By the time she passed the welcome sign at the edge of town, the light flutter of anticipation had turned into a full-fledged assault of anxiety. Whitmore College was only a couple of hundred miles away from Mystic Falls, but between teaching classes, taking them and studying for them – not to mention working on her witchcraft – she'd barely had time to make it home.

Not that she'd had much to go home to – there was no one left in Mystic Falls to miss her.

Her father had moved to Georgia shortly after she'd graduated from college – to be closer to family, he'd said, but Bonnie had known that it was more about getting away from the town that held so many painful memories for him. She wasn't sure when she'd fully realized it, but she knew that her father had only stayed in Mystic Falls because he'd thought it had been the best thing for her.

And her mother? Well, who the hell knew where _she_ was.

Still, it wasn't the lack of a welcoming committee that made Bonnie nervous about returning home. It was the occasion.

Or more specifically, the person behind the occasion.

_Jeremy Gilbert, _she thought, shaking her head as a smile tugged at the corner of her lips despite the knot of anxiety in her gut. Fifteen years ago, after Elena had turned into a vampire, they'd tried again to make it work, but long distance was a friend to no one. The relationship had fizzled and this time, so had the friendship. Bonnie hadn't seen or even talked to Jeremy in years.

She'd followed his career, though. Closely. Watching via news articles and press releases as he'd become a highly acclaimed artist – so much so, that he had a gallery in New York and Seattle, and was now opening one in his home town. Bonnie had no idea how a tiny town like Mystic Falls could support an art gallery, but maybe that wasn't the point.

Maybe Jeremy was just feeling nostalgic.

She understood the feeling well, and it was that nostalgia-that bittersweet twist of memory-that had prompted her to get into her car that morning and drive home the day before the gallery opening. Caroline was planning the event – her last hurrah before she left town for a few decades – and the blonde would probably kill her for showing up without having RSVP'd.

As nervous as she was to see Jeremy, however, Bonnie couldn't wait to see her friends.

Turning onto Main Street, she drove toward the center of town and scanned both sides of the street for the site of the new gallery. It didn't take long. Two large white trucks were double parked in front of what had once been a shoe store. Half of a dozen men and women – their expressions identical masks of focused determination – hauled high top glass tables, elegant cushioned stools, and thick rolls of deep green carpet out of the trucks and into the glass fronted store. Bonnie couldn't see the blonde head of her best friend among the crowd, but having grown up in Mystic Falls, she'd recognize the signs of event planning in progress anywhere.

_Caroline Forbes, ladies and gentlemen._

Parking her car in a diagonal spot a few storefronts down, Bonnie paused with her hand on the keys to the ignition and watched the activity for a few moments. She pictured Caroline inside, outwardly freaking out while inwardly, she was calm and as cool as a cucumber – completely in her element. Tyler would be there as well, either helping or driving Caroline crazy – probably both. And Jeremy…

Jeremy would be there.

A feeling of anticipation swept through her, more intense than the butterflies she'd experienced before. Drawing in a sharp breath, she narrowed her eyes at the crew going in and out of the new gallery, focusing on the sensation in order to pinpoint its meaning. A lifetime ago, when she'd thought that witches, vampires and werewolves were nothing but superstitious nonsense that her grandmother had used to make her behave, Bonnie had thought that the first stirrings of her Power had been a sign that she was psychic. She knew better now. It hadn't been the future she'd been sensing, but rather the shift in her little corner of the universe as the stars aligned on an important day. A red letter day.

A day that would change everything.

"For good or for bad?" she murmured aloud, lifting her gaze to the heavens as if it held the answer. An endless sea of blue stared back at her – no storm clouds were gathering on the horizon, preparing to roll in and signal imminent doom. It was a beautiful day, the unseasonably warm sun making a fool of the calendar and promising the arrival of an early spring. The trees were budding, the dead, brown grass was turning green as life returned to Mystic Falls.

_Get over yourself, Bonnie, _she thought, giving herself a mental shake as she yanked the keys from the ignition, grabbed her purse, and climbed out of the car. Three of her best friends, people who had literally bled and killed for her, were mere feet away and she was worried about…what, exactly? Some weird feeling of anticipation that may or may not signal impending doom?

Ridiculous.

Shouldering her purse, Bonnie straightened the hem of her long-sleeved orange shirt and strode determinedly down the sidewalk. She was _not_ psychic. For as many times as she'd had a vague bit of forethought, she could count just as many momentous occasions that she hadn't seen coming a mile away. The cause of her nerves was simple – she was worried about seeing Jeremy again.

The end.

"Jeremy! Tyler!" Caroline's unmistakable cry of indignation rang through the air just as her feet hit the threshold of the gallery, bringing a smile to Bonnie's lips. For a moment, she couldn't find any of her friends in the chaos. Tall, white display walls were scattered across the floor in carefully arranged designs, nearly reaching all the way up to the high ceilings. The dark green carpet she'd seen carried in was zig-zagged across the floor, creating a path that one could follow through the maze. Finished canvases lined the walls – some framed, some not – all waiting to be put on display. A bar was set up in a corner and a blonde haired, blue-eyed man was arranging the bottles of liquor, oblivious to the madness around him.

Eventually, her gaze landed on two men she recognized, both leaning against a high top table and drinking beer straight from the bottle. Bonnie's heart surged to her throat before plummeting to her shoes as she took in the familiar line of Jeremy's broad shoulders.

Caroline stood a few feet away, wearing a casual, yellow sundress that contrasted sharply with the clipboard in her hands and the authoritative tone in her voice. "You're supposed to be setting up the rest of the tables, not taking a beer break!"

"Relax, Care," Tyler shrugged, winking at his girlfriend as Bonnie watched, unseen near the doorway. "We've got half of them put together and we've been going nonstop all day. We can afford a ten minute break."

"Ten minutes, maybe," Caroline replied. "But I know you, Tyler Lockwood," she added before turning toward a smirking Jeremy and pointing a finger at him. "And you, Gilbert. Your ten minute break will turn into fifteen and then another beer and then before I know it, you'll both be hammered and I'll be putting tables together by myself all night long."

"That happened once," Tyler argued, wiping the condensation from the beer bottle off with his white t-shirt.

"Once was enough," she retorted. "I broke every nail that night and didn't have a chance to get them done before the Founder's Ball the next day. It was awful."

"You have my word, Caroline," Jeremy said, holding a hand to his heart and gazing at the blonde vampire with a sincerity that Bonnie remembered as clearly as the twinkle of mirth in his eyes. "One beer. Then we'll get back to work."

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "If you think I trust you, Jeremy, you're as nuts as my boyfriend."

"I have some stake in this thing, too, you know," he reminded her. "It's kind of my event."

Heaving a sigh, Caroline scanned her clipboard for a few moments. "Fine. You can have your ten minutes," she said. "But if you are a second longer, I am going to quit and you can plan your own damn gala opening."

Swallowing her nerves, Bonnie wove her way around a few piles of lights and crates of glassware. "Hi guys," she said, her voice coming out high-pitched and strained. Clutching the strap of her purse, she smiled nervously and waved at the three stunned individuals standing in front of her.

Caroline's mouth dropped open in shock before she broke out into a grin. "Bonnie!"

"Sorry, I didn't RSV-."

"Oh my god, it's so good to see you!" Caroline cried, blurring across the few feet that separated them – heedless of the non-supernatural humans around her – and pulling her friend into a tight hug. "Why didn't you tell me that you were coming?"

"I didn't know if I'd be able to make it until this morning," she said, coloring the truth a little bit as she smiled at Tyler over Caroline's shoulder. "And then I wanted to… surprise you."

"Best surprise ever," Caroline declared, pulling away to beam at her friend. "Elena's flying in tonight and then Damon's coming tomorrow with Stefan and Katherine."

"Stefan and Katherine will be here?" Bonnie repeated in surprise. She hadn't seen the two vampires since Elena had turned.

"Yup," Caroline replied, practically bouncing on her toes as she grinned, all hint of the frazzled, frustrated woman she'd been only moments earlier having vanished. "It's going to be a reunion!"

_Even more so than I'd thought, _Bonnie mused, returning the hug that Tyler pulled her into. The instant the werewolf released her, Caroline looped her arm through his and steered him toward the opposite side of the room. Not, however, before shooting a meaningful look between her and Jeremy.

Bonnie winced. _Some things never change._

Drawing a breath, she turned, allowing her gaze to travel – _finally_ – to Jeremy. "Hey," she said tentatively, taking in his shocked expression. Silence hung in the air between them as her anxiety returned, making her fidget. "I probably should have called or something. I hope you don't-."

"It's good to see you," he interrupted, his expression morphing into one of genuine happiness. Bonnie's shoulders sagged in relief as a smile that mirrored his pulled at her lips.

"It's good to see you, too," she replied, gripping the high top table with her fingertips as once again, a wave of anticipation swept through her. Realizing that she was feeling light-headed, she felt her cheeks flush with heat. Since when did Jeremy Gilbert make her feel like a giddy school girl?

_Since always, _a voice in her head reminded her. She'd always kept it close to the vest, but her best friend's little brother had a way of looking at her that made her feel every romantic cliché in the book – wild and out of control, but safe at the same time.

And special. Like the only woman in the room.

"So, um…what pieces did you bring?" Bonnie asked, breaking the tension enough so that she could breathe again. "I hope you brought some of the pieces from your last exhibition in New York. I really liked those."

Jeremy narrowed his eyes at her, his expression changing slightly in surprise. "Let me show you," he replied after a moment, skirting around the table and steering her toward the canvases lining the back wall. His hand lingered at her elbow before coming around to rest gently on her back in a way that felt so comfortable and familiar that Bonnie didn't even notice it at first.

_Maybe I'm not psychic, _she thought as Jeremy stopped in front of the first piece and began telling her the story behind it. Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she smiled at the way his eyes lit up when talking about his work.

She may not be psychic, but this was definitely a very important, red letter day.

* * *

Standing near the bar, Caroline pretended to study her clipboard as she cast surreptitious glances at Bonnie and Jeremy. Tucked in the corner on the opposite side of the room, Jeremy gestured toward one of the large canvases while Bonnie listened raptly, her attention focused more on the man than on his art.

_This is so perfect, _she thought, biting on her bottom lip to keep the grin off of her face. The sight of her two friends getting along – even _flirting – _was enough to make her forgive Bonnie for not RSVPing like the rest of polite society. Caroline had nearly killed herself over those invitations, agonizing for hours – days – over which designs were worthy of an art gallery opening. The _least _Bonnie could have done was bring it along and hand deliver it.

The familiar sound of her friend's laughter reverberated through the gallery. Caroline looked up just in time to see Bonnie place her hand on Jeremy's arm and linger far longer than necessary for a casual, "just friends" touch.

_I am so good at this, _she thought congratulating herself on her matchmaking skills. After all, Jeremy almost hadn't invited his ex-girlfriend – she'd been the one to insist that their entire circle of friends be summoned back to Mystic Falls for the event. Granted, at the time, she'd only been thinking about a reunion, not the rekindling of a romance, but that only proved her point. If she was this successful at bringing people together without even trying, imagine what she could do if she put some effort into it.

"Are you eavesdropping on two of your best friends?" Tyler asked, appearing suddenly at her elbow and making her jump. Whirling around, Caroline stared at her boyfriend with wide, indignant eyes.

"No, I am _not,_" she snapped, lifting her chin and holding up her clipboard. "I'm going over my to-do list."

"Uh huh," Tyler smirked, setting the case of scotch he'd hauled in from the delivery truck outside onto the bar. Moving closer to her, he slid his arm around her waist and nodded toward the couple in the corner. "So, how's it going? Has Gilbert screwed it up yet?"

Caroline grinned. "So far, so good," she replied excitedly, giving him a detailed rundown of Bonnie and Jeremy's every move since she'd left the two of them alone together. "He's been telling her about the pieces in that dark, semi-secluded corner for the past twenty minutes," she explained, no longer pretending to be interested in anything other than her friends' potential re-romance. "Although, I'm pretty sure the only "work of art" Bonnie could tell you about is the way Jeremy Gilbert fills out a black t-shirt."

Tyler snorted in response.

Suddenly struck by inspiration, Caroline gripped his arm and turned to face him. "Oh my god," she exclaimed. "I've got it! I totally know what I'm going to do when we have to leave Mystic Falls."

Wary now, Tyler looked at her askance. "What's that?"

"I can be a matchmaker!" she cried, squeezing his arm and bouncing on the balls of her feet as the idea took shape in her head.

Looking at her incredulously, Tyler choked out. "A _what?_"

"A matchmaker," she repeated, already envisioning the way she'd decorate her new office. "You know, a dating expert. I can match people up and help them find _The One_."

Opening his mouth, Tyler hesitated for a moment before shaking his head and laughing as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "That sounds awesome, Caroline," he said with a soft smile, leaning in and kissing her on the lips. Sighing happily, she slipped her hand around the back of his head to hold him closer and deepen the kiss. She'd been looking forward to this weekend for months – it had been too long since she'd seen Damon, Elena, Katherine and Stefan – but now with Bonnie and Jeremy heading back down the road to romance, things seemed to be turning out even better than she'd dared to hope.

Her cell phone beeped and vibrated against the hard surface of the nearby bar, bringing another surge of excitement along with it. "Oh, that'll be Stefan," she said, breaking the kiss and heading toward the bar to pick up the slim device. Disappointment swept through her, however, when she looked at the caller ID and saw that it was just a text from the caterer. "Dammit."

"What?" Tyler asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

"It wasn't Stefan," Caroline replied, pressing her lips together in a tight line. "I've called him five times and he hasn't called me back."

"Weren't he and Katherine flying in from another country?" Tyler asked.

"Well, yes, but he should have landed…," she checked the time on her phone. "Fifteen minutes ago."

"Caroline-."

"He _always _returns my calls," she said, glaring at her phone as if it were responsible for Stefan's silence.

"Jesus, Care," Tyler muttered, rolling his eyes as he stooped to pick up a few empty boxes. "He said he was coming, didn't he?"

"Of course," Caroline replied, tearing her gaze away from her phone to meet her boyfriend's exasperated expression.

"Then what are you worried about?" he snapped, the exasperation darkening toward anger. "It's not like _Stefan _would ever let you down."

"Tyler!" Caroline cried, stung by his clipped tone. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Shaking his head, he brushed past her, carrying the boxes toward the open door in back that led out to the alley. "Forget it," he said just loud enough for her vampiric senses to catch. Caroline stared, part of her wanting to chase after him and make up. That part, however, was being strangled by another, bigger part of her that knew that if she did catch up with him, she'd be just as likely to punch him in his cranky, jealous face as apologize.

_Not that I have anything to apologize for, _Caroline thought defiantly, turning her attention to her clipboard in earnest. Stefan's goodbye when he'd left Mystic Falls years ago to find Katherine had actually been a beginning for the two of them. They'd kept in touch, not only during the months it had taken for him to track Katherine down, but beyond as they'd both traversed the pitfalls of a new relationship.

The trouble had started six years ago, when she and Tyler had been on one of their breaks and probably had something to do with the _visit _Stefan had paid to her estranged boyfriend that had resulted in a bruised ego and an even more bruised face. The two had patched things up since then, but Stefan's constant "defense of Caroline's virtue" as Tyler snidely put it, remained a sore spot between all three of them.

She and Stefan were just friends – friends who had been there for each other during the worst and the best of times. That's all they'd ever been and that's all they ever would be. Tyler's stupid, irrational jealousy over that friendship wasn't her problem, however, it was _his, _and just like every other time he'd gotten in a snit about it, he'd have to get _over _it on his own.

_I have a party to throw, _Caroline through, frowning as she jotted down a reminder to call her caterer back. Jealous boyfriends had no place on her To Do list.

* * *

_AN: So...what do you think? Did I answer any of your questions or just generate more? _


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